


Therapy Sessions: Ian Gallagher [The In-Between]

by boundxdoll



Series: Therapy Sessions: Ian Gallagher [3]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-19 08:33:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1462711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boundxdoll/pseuds/boundxdoll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite his breakthrough Ian has taken a plunge in mood falling into a depression.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Therapy Sessions: Ian Gallagher [The In-Between]

**Author's Note:**

> As some of you may know from following my tumblr, my muse has been struggling, so this one is a little lacking. It’s more or less filler to get the next part. My apologies.

The week that followed his breakthrough session with his counselor and the conversation with Mickey where everything was laid bare between them had been hard for Ian. He had a lot of emotions to process and it was a triggering point that sent him into a downward spiral. Just the night before he had been lively, stayed up late talking to Mickey, --not like when he was manic, but more like himself. So when he wouldn't get out of bed the next day it became a heartbreaking realization that Ian was still sick. Neither of them had expected him to just snap out of it after what he'd been through, but they thought that maybe the days where he disconnected from the world were behind them, it'd been a while since his last episode like this. 

The distance between his mood swings has gone from days, and weeks to months. He’d fall into a depressive or manic state that only lasted a couple of days before drifting back to a state of normalcy. So when he fell into that depressive state it was shocking, because they thought he was past them being this bad.

“Hey Ian, c’mon it’s been twelve hours, you need to get out of bed, need to eat something,” Mickey whispered as he crawled onto the bed in front of Ian. 

“M’not hungry,” Ian replied, his tone hollow.

“You have to get out of bed today Ian, you have a meeting with that therapist,” the older male gently reminded him. 

“I’m not fuckin’ goin’ just leave me alone,” Ian groaned, rolling over onto his other side. 

“Yeah? Alright, fine, I’ll leave you alone,” he replied with a frustrated sigh, pushing off of the bed and exiting the room slamming the door behind him. Mickey still wasn’t used to this, he didn’t know how to handle these sort of things, even after so much practice, it always seemed to catch him off guard. Rubbing his hand over his face Mickey pulls out his phone so he can call the therapist’s office and let her know that Ian won’t be coming in today. 

Listening as the phone rang on the other end he tapped his fingers nervously as he waited, finally hearing a ‘hella’ on the other end. “Hey, uh Miss. Holden, this is Mickey Milkovich, yeah, I uh, about that...I’m fine but Ian, he won’t be coming in today, I can’t get him out of bed...yeah he’s having one of his depressed things.” He listened as she explained she could possibly make a home visit, but also explains this is normal behavior for somebody who just had a breakthrough. “If you could come out, that’d be great,” Mickey explains setting up a time for her to come out. 

Once he’s off the phone he makes quick work of cleaning up around the Gallagher house, thanking whatever higher power that everyone was gone at either work or school. Tossing dirty clothing from their room in the washing machine and taking a shower he tried to make their home --despite all of the people who lived in it, look passable for a professional to show up at. 

Around two hours later there is a knock at the door, rubbing his hands on his jeans he nervously opened the door. “Hey, come in,” Mickey offered stepping aside. “Hope you found the place alright.” 

“Thank you, yes, I’m familiar with the area, I do in house therapy for somebody else not too far away,” she explained as she stepped in taking off her coat, which Mickey took to hang on one of the hooks by the door. “He’s uh, he’s upstairs.” Mickey pointed in the direction. “I can show you to his room,” he muttered as he moved into the the living room and headed up the stairs with the therapist in tow. Making his way into the room he gestured to the bed. “Ian Miss. Holden is here to see you,” his words soft as he said them, glancing to the therapist he chews his lip softly and takes his leave of the room, heading back down the stairs.

“Hey Ian, I just wanted to come and check on you, I heard you weren’t feeling so well today,” Holden relayed sweetly to the suffering redhead as she took a seat in a chair nearby the bed. “I know I’m not going to get much from you in response, and that’s fine. I just want to let you know that what you’re feeling is normal, and it will pass. A lot of times when people make progress like you have they tend to teeter back a little, and you know what? That’s fine because we’re going to work through it together. You’re going to pull through this, and you’re going to feel better than you’ve ever felt because you know that you’ve made it. If you’re feeling up to it tomorrow, you can give me a call and I’ll fit you in or stay an extra hour to see you, I will let Mickey know that as well, alright, I hope you feel better soon, Ian,” she spoke so softly, her words true and genuine, and her action of coming to see him made them even more real. “I’ll see you soon.” Pushing up from the chair she made her way to the door.

“Wait…” Ian started, causing Miss. Holden to pause her steps. “Thanks.” It wasn’t much but it was progress, he wasn’t getting out of bed, but he had spoken, and it wasn’t negative.

“Anytime, Ian.” With that she was gone, descending the stairs and finding Mickey in the living room. “I told him if he feels up to it to come see me tomorrow, try getting him to eat something, he seems like he might be a little more receptive right now,” she informed Mickey as she grabbed her coat. “So, I hope I’ll be seeing him soon, and don’t forget our first session is next week.”

Mickey lit up a little bit when she said that he seemed like he’s a little more receptive, a faint smile playing on his expression. “Good, good, thanks I meant it, you didn’t have t--”

“He just needs to know he has a support system outside of just his family, maybe you can have some of his friends come over, even if they just talk to him, it might help.”

“Right...I can do that, thanks again,” Mickey replied chewing on his bottom lip. After seeing her to the door he made his way to the kitchen, fixing Ian and him something to eat for dinner. Two plates in hand he took them upstairs and set the plate down near Ian. The joy he felt was indescribable when Ian started to pick at the food, eating it slowly. 

\--it was a start, progress they needed.


End file.
